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PAPERS OF THE IBERVILLE 
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, No. 5 



THE LITERARY HISTORY 
OF MOBILE 



By ERWIN CRAIGHEAD, 

B. Litt., LL. D., President 

of the Iberville Historical 

Society 



Reprinted From 

The Mobile Regi^er Centennial Edition 

1914 







<y^U3{X/juT^L^^ \}^l ^ 



PAPERS OF THE IBERVILLE 
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, No. 5 



THE LITERARY HISTORY 
OF MOBILE 



By ERWIN CRAIGHEAD, 

B. Litt., LL.*b., President 

of the Iberville Historical 

Society 



Reprinted From 

The Mobile Regi^er Centennial Edition 

1914 



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Oitt 
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(Vtrtta) 

MAR 21 B;6 



CiterarYlfi^torj of 5tlobilc 



IN MARCH, 1814, JAMES INNERARITY WAS 
elected president of the board of commission- 
ers of Mobile, and, strictly speaking, the lit- 
erature of Mobile's one hundred years be- 
gins with the first entry made upon the min- 
ute book of the board. We shall go back, how- 
ever, a little space to February 28, 1812, on 
which day we find that Josiah Blakeley wrote to 
his "dear Abby" in Connecticut telling of "the 
now famous town of Mobile," where the Mobile 
river "desembogues" its waters into the bay by 
several mouths. Blakeley, afterwards the founder 
of the town of that name on the eastern shore 
of Mobile bay, wrote of Mobile as being at that 
time the subject of dispute between the United 
States and the Spaniards; and as containing 
about 9 houses, all of wood and but one story 
high; and we may judge that the place was 
"famous" because of the aforesaid dispute rather 
than for Mobile's size, trade, or other accomplish- 
ment. 

Mobile literature had its beginning many years 
earlier than this, but there is but fragmentary ac- 
count of the output and writers 

Pineda, who was here to repair his ships in 
1519, wrote down what he saw and heard, and 
called the bay and river Espiritu Santo. A year 
later, Garay made a map and put the same name 
upon it; and he is credited by some with being 
the first to use the name. Panfilo de Navaez 
drifted this way in 15 28 and put into the bay 
somewhere for water, possibly at Bellefontaine. 
Then came DeSoto's admiral, Maldonado, but all 
the records are of voyages, and. have no connec- 
tion with Mobile's literary history. \ Possibly Iber- 
ville may be counted as our first author, although 
Hamilton gives precedence to Penicaut. Iberville 
wrote and published in 1702 a diary of his visit 
to the second site of the Mobile colony (at Twen- 
ty-seven Mile Bluff on Mobile river) ; and this 
was really literature, in the sense that a great 
deal of it was fiction. Iberville described the 
beautiful forest trees and verdure along the river 
route, without once saying that the river banks 
were marsh-land and under water. The fact is that 



Iberville's diary was for prospective French im- 
mig-rants to read; Iberville having something like 
a continent of land on his hands and to dispose 
of. Curiously enough, he chose the poorest tract 
to be found anywhere in this region of country 
as the subject of his glorification. He died of the 
fever in Havana, February 7, 1707, before he him- 
self was fully aware of the unfortunate choice he 
had made. 

The historian of the enterprise of Iberville 
and Bienville was Jean Penicaut, a ship carpen- 
ter by trade, born in 168 0, and who came to this 
country with Iberville. He wrote the "Annals of 
Louisiana," He returned to France in 1821. Of 
Penicaut, Hamilton (in his Colonial Mobile) 
speaks as "our first Mobile writer;" and, in an- 
other passage, "It is with sincere regret that one 
closes the life-like pages of the first literary Mo- 
bilian." 

Mr. Hamilton mentions also the Jesuit Charle- 
voix, who published six small volumes with maps 
of places and plates illustrating the native plants. 
Bossu is another writer of that early time, his 
contribution to literature taking the shape of let- 
ters. Mobile in those early days, say in 1708, had 
a population of 122 in the garrison, 24 adult male 
and 28 adult female "inhabitants," 25 children, 
and 80 slaves — a total of 279 souls. 

Skipping to the sixties of that century we 
come to Major Robert Farmer, the English of- 
ficer in command of the colony at Mobile. Whether 
he was an author of any books is hot stated, but 
he was distinctly literary. Aubry, in charge at 
New Orleans, had much correspondence with him, 
and gives this sketch of him: "This governor of 
Mobile is an extraordinary man. As he knows 
that I speak English, he occasionally writes to 
me in verse, ^r, He speaks to me of Francis I. and 
Charles V. He 'compares Pontiak, the Indian 
chief, to Mith'radates ; he says that he goes to 
bed with Montesquieu. When there occur some 
petty difficulties between the inhabitants of New 
Orleans and Mobile, he quotes to me from the 
Magna Charta and the laws of Great Britain." 

And now we must pass over a very considerable 
space of time. It is highly improbable that any 
literary work was done in the colonial days. The 
denizens had sufficient to do to maintain them- 
selves in a new country; and besides, if they ere- 



ated any literature, it was in a foreign tongue anci 
has been scattered to all parts, if still existing-. 

When the Americans came in 1813, they found 
a city, if city it may be called, but little larger 
than a small village, and actually showing no 
growth in the one hundred years of its existence. 
Immigrants poured in, a newspaper was estab- 
lished, and then a government; and after that, 
sometime after that, literature began to appear. 

Tlie American Period. 

The writer of this wishes it to be known that 
what he presents here is nothing more than what 
the Germans call an Einleitung, or "leading into'' 
or towards the subject; a preface or introduction, 
if you will call it so; and the reason for so re- 
garding it is that at every turn the writer finda 
something that may be added to what has been 
collected; and he is convinced that there is much 
of the field yet unexplored; that there are books, 
papers and documents existing that he has never 
heard of; and that tradition preserves the names 
and the memory of labors apparently forgotten. 
The hope is entertained that by this publication — 
the first of its kind yet attempted — interest will 
be excited, and that by the help of additions and 
corrections, the basis of a fairly complete history 
of the literary life of Mobile may in time be ob- 
tained. 

We began with mention of Josiah Blakeley'f 
letters. We proceed next to the year 18 3 3 and 
open the account with the writings of the Rev, 
William T. Hamilton, the grandfather of the pres- 
ent-day historian of Mobile. Mr. Hamilton wrote 
and published two books, one with a Newark im- 
print of 1833, entitled "Infant Baptism," and the 
other, printed in New York in 18 5 2, with the 
title of "A Friend of Moses." 

Next following was Charles L. S. Jones, Mo- 
bile's first poet, who published in Mobile in 1834, 
a small book with the title of "American Lyrics, 
Comprising Discovery, a Poem, Songs, Tales and 
Translations." In the same year, he published 
"Henriad," a poem translated from Voltaire. The 
beauty of the print, and binding of this little vol- 
ume cannot fail to command attention. It showed 
the printer's art well advanced here. 

About this time lived here Augustus Girard, a 
Swiss watchmaker, inventor and philosopher; 
originator of the Franklin Literary Society, and 



6 

author of "Reflections on the Latent Causes and 
Mechanical Effects in the Works of Nature," which 
remained long in manuscript, and was published in 
1866. Girard died about 1873, and Major Wal- 
thall delivered an oration in his memory. 

In 18 5 5 there blazed forth upon the American 
reading world the work of the Rev. Joseph Hoit 
Ingraham, who for a time was rector of St. John's: 
but this author actually began his literary career 
before he entered the ministry. It was in 18 3 6 
that he published "Southwest by a Yankee," and 
also "The American Lounger." It was In this 
same period that he wrote and published "Lafitts 
or the Pirate of the Gulf." Then came a long rest 
of near twenty years, and an entire change ol 
scene and of motives. When next Mr. Ingraham 
took up his pen it was in the cause of religion. 
He preceded Sienkiewicz both in purpose and in 
achievement; and in his day had a vogue that was 
as remarkable for that day as that which later 
was gained by the author of "Quo Vadis?" The 
three books from his study were "The Prince of 
the House of David," 1855; "The Pillar of Fire," 
1859, and "The Throne of David," 1860; all pub- 
lished in New York. 

William Russell Smith began his career here 
in 18 37, which appears to have spread over 
nearly 40 years of time. Mr. Smith was a lawye? 
by profession, a graduate of the University, and a 
captain in the Creek war, member of both the 
United States and the Confederate congress, and 
in 18 65 received a flattering vote for governor. 
He had the distinction of originating and editing 
the first literary magazine in the state, called 
"The Batchelor's Button," published in Mobile; 
1837-38. About the same time he wrote a play 
entitled "Aaron Burr," a tragedy which was 
played here, Mr. Smith having a part in its per- 
formance. Sol. Smith, the then well known actor, 
manager and writer, declared this play "a work 
Df genius." In 1860, Mr. Smith published in 
Montgomery "The Uses of Solitude, a Poem;" and 
in 1871, in Tuscaloosa, "Key to the Iliad of Homer, 
for Use of Schools, Academies and Colleges," 
which Brower stamps as "an excellent transla- 
tion." 

Dr. Josiah Nott is likely to be remembered 
longest for being the first to suggest that it was 
probable that the germ of yellow fever was con- 
veyed by an Insect of some kind. His name be- 



came known to the world, however, for his orig- 
inal studies in ethnology. He advanced theories 
that aroused no little antagonism because of what 
would now-a-days be called their liberal tendency. 
In 184 4, he published "The Bible and the Physical 
History of Man." In 18 54, "Types of Mankind." 
En 1857, "Indigenous Races of the Earth," all 
bearing a Philadelphia imprint. 

Mobile's first woman writer was Mrs. Cath- 
erine van R. S. Hale, a school teacher. She wrote 
a romance entitled "Grandchildren of Mr. Ar- 
mond;" and a book of essaj^s, called "Saturday 
Evenings," New York imprint, 1845. 

Mobile's first, last and only Indian author was 
Dixon W. Lewis, who died as a missionery in the 
Indian territory in 1857. Lewis performed the 
remarkable feat of translating the books of 
Joshua, Judges and Ruth into the Choctaw lan- 
guage. The book was published in Mobile in 
1852. 

A poet of high position in the estimation of 
admirers of scholarly work was Henry Lynden 
Flash, once a resident of Mobile, where his poems 
tvere written. As far as known here, he published 
but one book, bearing the one word "Poems," and 
printed in New York in 18 55. 

Alexander Meek. 

Alexander Beaufort Meek was a lawyer, the 
occupant of many public offices, associate editor 
of The Register under Thaddeus Sanford, and a 
writer of considerable note. "One of the lights of 
his day and generation of the mind," was said of 
him by the Rev. Philip Phillips Neely. His pro- 
ductions all came into print in two years' time, 
beginning in 18 5 5, with "Red Eagle, a Poem," 
reciting the romantic history of William Weather- 
ford, the Muscogee chief. Next, in 1857, appeared 
"Romantic Passages in Southwestern History, In- 
cluding Orations, Sketches and Essays," 12 mo. 
Mobile. The third work was "Songs and Poems of 
the South," published also in 1857, with Mobile 
imprint. Of unfixed date is a small volume of 
verse, entitled "Magnolia Leaves and Orange 
Blossoms." "His works were received with marked 
favor," says Brewer. Judge Meek was the first 
to contribute chapters upon Alabama history, a 
then wholly unworked field, and he it was who 
fixed the motto for Alabama, as meaning in the 
Indian tongue, "Here We Rest." 



s 

Julia Harris. Of this writer nothing tangible 
is found, save these few words in Reynolds' rem- 
iniscences of Judge Meek: "It was to him that 
the Mobile poetess, Julia Harris, was indebted for 
much, if not most of her reputation, for he would 
carefully revise her compositions, and recommend 
them to public notice." 

Next in order is Captain Raphael Semmes, 
afterwards admiral of the Southern Confedercy, 
who published in 18 57, with a Cincinnati im- 
print, a memoir, entitled "Service Afloat and 
Ashore During the Mexican War." After his 
brilliant career in the war of 1861-65 as com- 
mander of the "Alabama," he wrote his Memoirs 
of Service Afloat During the War Between the 
States," Baltimore, 1869. 

"Madam" LeVert, that is to say, Octavia Wal- 
ton, daughter of Governor George Walton of 
Georgia, and wife of Dr. Henry S. LeVert of Mo- 
bile, was the most brilliant woman that ever 
adorned Mobile society. She was a linguist, gifted 
in conversation, and had a wide acquaintance. She 
was the center of social life and conducted suc- 
cessfully what is known as a "salon," in the 
French style. "Such a woman occurs but once in 
the course of an empire," said Washington Irving 
with reference to Madam LeVert. She published 
her memoirs under the title "Souvenirs of Travel," 
2 volumes, Mobile, 1857. 

It was two years prior to the last named date 
that another very brilliant writer appeared upon 
the literary horizon, but because of her youth at 
that time and the long period of her literary ac- 
tivity, extending into the twentieth century indeed, 
she was accounted a member of a succeeding 
generation. Augusta Evans, afterwards Mrs. Wil- 
son, was the young writer's name and her first 
novel was "Inez," published in 1855. "Beulah" 
followed in 1859 and had immediate success, run- 
ning through several editions in a few month's 
time, bringing fame to the author not yet in her 
twentieth year. Then followed "Macaria," 18 64; 
"St. Elmo," 1866; "Vashti," 1869; "Infelice," 1875: 
then a break of twelve years to "At the Mercy 
of Tiberius," in 1887; her last work being a little 
romance, "A Speckled Bird," printed in 1902. 
There was high purpose in all of her writings, art 
being secondary, but by no means neglected. All 
of her works have been republished in England; 
and "St. Elmo" has appeared in both French and 



German. Her chief success was in describing with 
realistic force situations that were highly dra- 
matic. She easily claimed and held the attention 
of her readers. 

The Rev. Norman Pinney was rector of the 
old Christ Church, and was an educator of note, 
attracting students from New Orleans and else- 
where. Pinney's College was a handsome build- 
ing that faced Government street, where the D. R. 
Dunlap home now stands. Mr. Pinney wrote 
school text books. His French Grammar was 
rated as the best for instruction in that language. 

Joseph Seawell, a lawyer, published "Volen- 
tia, a Play in Five Acts," Mobile, 1859. 

William Walker, "the grey-eyed man of des- 
tiny," who made two expeditions out of Mobile 
with the hope of establishing rule in Central 
America, the last proving fatal to him and his 
hopes, honored Mobile to the extent of publishing 
here in 18 60 his only book, entitled, "War in Nica- 
ragua." Walker was a native of Tennessee, and 
journalist by profession and filibuster by trade. 
One of the last of the survivors of his party was 
Captain Billy Williamson, chief of police under the 
late mayor, R. B. Owen, 

Nothing appears known of the Rev. Charles 
W. Thomas as a Mobile author, save what is told 
in his book "Adventures and Observations on the 
West Coast of Africa," Mobile, 18 60. The book is 
remarkable for containing several woodcut pic- 
tures from drawings made by the author; and is 
altogether a high grade example of the book- 
printer's art. 

Augustus Requier. 

Augustus Julian Requier was a poet of dis- 
tinction, native of Charleston, and resident here 
for fifteen years after 1850, practicing' his pro- 
fession of the law here, and afterwards in New 
York City. He was district attorney here under 
the United States and the Confederacy. He pub- 
lished under Philadelphia imprint in 1860 a vol- 
ume of "Poems." Included in this collection were 
a long poem entitled "Legend of Tremaine," and 
a shorter one, entitled "Ashes of Glory," on which 
last his fame is founded. Another considerable 
poem bears the name of "The Spanish Exile." He 
wrote also two plays, and a romance, the titles 
of which do not appear to have been preserved. 
Davidson says of Requier: "In ideal purity and 
symmetrical art, he stands clearly among the first 



10 

poets of the South." When Requier left Mobile 
one of the newspapers spoke of him as an orator 
who blended the impassioned fervor of Prentiss 
with the laboriously informed acumen of Pinck- 
ney and "a literateur whose productions are fore- 
most amongst those who illustrate the artistic re- 
sources of his section." 

The war period has but brief representation. 
Madam Adelaide de Vondel Chaudron translated 
Muhlback's "Joseph II. and His Court," and the 
publication was in Mobile, in 1864, upon wrap- 
ping paper, and with wall-paper covers. The 
book had great vogue in the camps of the Con- 
federate Soldiers, where it rivalled Victor Hugo's 
dramatic story that was spoken of by the soldiers 
as "Lee's Miserables." Madam Chaudron pre- 
pared at this time also a "Third Reader for the 
Use of Primary Schools;" and in 18 67, a "Fourth 
Reader, on an Original Plan." 

Major E. G. McKnight was the other war- 
time writer. It cannot be learned whether he 
published any but fugitive verses; but these that 
have survived have original turns of thought. The 
Confederate major was a prisoner on Lake Erie. 
Under his nom de guerre of "Asa Hearts," ho 
wrote many a pathetic line and not a few humor- 
ous lines describing his situation. 

The after-the-war period begins with Mrs. 
Elizabeth W. Bellamy, writing under the style of 
"Kamba Thorp." Her first work was "Fair 
Oaks," published in 1867; next "Little Joanna," 
1876; "Old Man Gilbert," 1888, unquestionably 
of permanent literary value; and "Penny Lancas- 
ter, Farmer," 189 0. 

Mr. J. S. Knight, whose writing name was 
"Perilla." No particulars, 1868. 

Bernard J. Reynolds, signing himself "Old Mo- 
bile," 1869. Bernard Reynolds wrote and published 
"Sketches of Mobile," describing men and inci- 
dents coming within his purview before the war. 

Thomas Cooper DeLeon a most prolific writer 
of all kinds and of very unequal quality, and 
author of one work of exceptional value, "Four 
Years in Rebel Capitals," published in 1892, the 
same being sketches, annecdotes and descriptive 
of Mr. DeLeon's personal experiences in Montgom- 
ery and in Richmond in war times. Of nearly 
equal interest is a later work on the same lines, 
entitled "Belles, Beaux and Brains of the 60's," 



11 

written after Mr. DeLeon was stricken with blind- 
ness, and published in 1907. Mr. DeLeon died 
in March, 1914. His other writings were: "South 
Songs," 1866; "Cross Purposes," 1867; "Hamlet 
ye Dismal, a Travesty," 18 70; "Rock or the Rye," 
1887; "Juny," 1890; "The Pair Blockade Breaker," 
1891; "The Puritan's Daughter," 189 2; "John 
Holden, Unionist," written in collaboration with 
Erwin Ledyard, 1893; "A Bachelor's Box," 1897; 
"The Pride of the Mercers," 1898; "The Life of 
Joe Wheeler," 1899; "Confederate Memories," 
1899; "History of Creole Carnivals," 1899; "Tales 
from the Coves," 1903; and "The Passing of Arlo 
Haine," 1905. 

Erwin Ledyard, mentioned above as collab- 
orator with Thomas Cooper DeLeon in writing 
"John Holden, Unionist," supplied the scenes and 
incidents of most realistic value in this work. He 
wrote and published in The Register verses of 
considerable merit. 

Colonel Joseph Hodgson, for a long time editor 
of The Register, was a master of English style, 
a clear and incisive writer. He wrote and pub- 
lished a "Manual and Statistical Register," the 
first handbook of Alabama; also his memoirs of 
war times in Montgomery in a volume entitled 
"The Cradle of the Confederacy," 1870. 

Frederick G. Bromberg: Several brochures 
contributed to the papers of the Iberville Histori- 
cal Society; also a disquisition upon "The Proofs 
of Existence of a Supreme Being," Mobile, 1885. 

Miss Charlee H. Garner: "Ring of Rhymes 
and Short Stories," 1875. 

Judge Saffold Berney: "Handbook of Ala- 
bama," 1878; second edition, 189 2. 

R. Moore: "Universal and Complete Mechin- 
ics, Containing Over One Million Industrial 
Facts," Mobile, 1879. 

J. Hunter Smith: "Tunings of a Harp," New 
York, 1879. 

Father Ryan. 
The Rev. Abram Joseph Ryan, the poet- 
priest of the South, and most brilliant star in Mo- 
bile's literary firmament, for a long time rector of 
St. Mary's, and in whose honor as poet and priest 
a monument was erected in Mobile in July, 1913. 
The poet's verses are familiar in every household 
of the South: "Poems, Patriotic, Religious and 
Miscellaneous," Mobile, 1879; Baltimore, 1880. 



12 

"The Crown of Our Queen, a Poem," Baltimore, 
1882. 

Louis de Vondel Chaudron: "Madame Le Mar- 
quise, a Comedetta," Mobile, 1884. 

Mrs. Mary E. Henry-Ruffin, L. H. D.: Suc- 
cessful v/riter in poetry and prose, and gifted 
with fine imaginative powers. Published, "Drift- 
ing Leaves," 1884; "John Gildart," 1900; "The 
North Star," 1904; "Eden on the James;" "The 
Sphinx," 1910; "The Shield of Silence," 1914. 

Paul Ravesies: "Scenes and Settlers of Ala- 
bama," by Sub Rosa, Mobile, 1885. 

Thomas ■ Q. Barnes: "Southern and Miscel- 
laneous Poems," Mobile, 1886. 

Marienne G. Spratley: "Confessions of Two," 
New York, 188 6. 

Elizabeth W. Stephen, co-author with Mrs. 
Spratley of "Confessions of Two." 

The Right Rev. Bishop Richard Hooker Wil- 
mer, distinguished as a minister, as conversation- 
alist, a wit and a writer: "The Recent Past from 
a Southern Standpoint," New York, 188 7; the 
subhead of this work is "Reminiscences of a 
Grandfather." 

E. Q. Norton: "Construction and Tuning of 
the Piano," Boston, 1887. 

Mrs. Mary Smith: "Poems and Essays," Mo- 
bile, 1888. 

Willis G. Clark: "The History of Education 
in Alabama," Mobile, 1889. 

Hannis Taylor, who in his field, has achieved 
more distinction than any other in America, hav- 
ing devoted a large part of his time to original 
research into the history of fundamental English 
law: "The Origin and Growth of the English 
Constitution," 1889; "International Public Law," 
1902; "Jurisdiction and Procedure of the Su- 
preme Court of the United States," 1904; "The 
Science of Jurisprudence," 1908. "The Origin and 
Growth of the American Constitution," 1911; 
"Real Authorship of the Constitution of the 
United States Explained," 1912. 

Paul J. Robert: "Grand Terre, a Romance of 
Older Creole Days" (published in serial form), 
1890. 

Anne Bozeman Lyon, one of the most success- 
ful of Mobile's writers of fiction; of remarkable 



13 

industry; and contributor to many magazines: 
"No Saint," Louisville, 18 9 0. "Padre Filipo," 1895. 
Stories and serials in magazines as follows: "The 
Mourner," 1892; "Chitto Marriage," 1901; "Casl- 
mir Jacques," 1913; "An Abiding Faith," 1913. 

Frances Irwin Huntington: "Wife of the Sun; 
a Legend of the Natchez," Mobile, 1892. 

Celia Anderson: "Jule Maghee's Anarchy," Mo- 
bile, 1892. 

P. J. Hamilton. 

Peter Joseph Hamilton, the historian of tho 
French settlement of Mobile, and the first to put 
this history upon a sure basis of fact by his studies 
of the records in Paris, Madrid, London, Quebec, 
New Orleans and Mobile, a work of greatest value. 
Mr. Hamilton is a lawyer by profession, and is 
United States judge of Porto Rico. His writings: 
"Rambles in Historic Lands," New York, 1893; 
"Art Work of Mobile and Vicinity," 1894; "Colo- 
nial Mobile," Boston, 1897 and (second edition), 
1910; "City Code" of Mobile, 1897; "The Coloni- 
zation of the South," 1904; "The Reconstruction 
Period," 1905, (in the Series of the History of 
North America, published in Philadelphia) ; 
"Mobile of the Five Flags," a school history. Mo- 
bile, 1913. This book is distinguished as being 
wholly a home product. Mr. Hamilton was the 
organizer and until his a,ppointment to the federal 
judgship of Porto Rico in 1913 president of the 
Iberville Historical Society of Mobile, and a fre- 
quent contributor to. its memorabilia. 

Dr. Henry A. Moody: professor of the Medi- 
cal Department, University of Alabama: "City 
Without a Name," London, 1898. 

Mary Anne McGill: "Little Orphan Annie 
and Her Friends," New York, 1899. 

Mrs. Mary McNeill FenoUosa, whose pen name 
is "Sidney McCall," a much admired writer of 
verse and fiction. She has published as follows: 
"A Flight of Verses," 1899; "Children's Verses on 
Japanese Subjects," 189 9; "The Dragon Painter," 
1906; "Truth Dexter," 1906; "The Breath of the 
Gods," 1906; "Red Horse Hill," 1909; "Ariadne of 
Allan Water," 1914. 

Dr. Charles Mohr: "Plant Life in Alabama," 
(published in Reports of the Alabama Geological 
Survey, 1901.) 

Dr. Dillon J. Spotswood: "Out of the Beaten 
Track," by Nuverbis, New York, 1901. 



14 

Annie Shillito: This writer of mucla good 
verse, not as yet collected and publislied, was the 
successful competitor lor The Register pi'ize on 
the occasion of the celebration, January 23, 1902, 
of the founding of Fort Louis de la Mobile. The 
poem, which obtained the instant and unanimous 
approval of the judges, was entitled "The Vision 
of Bienville," was read at the celebration, but not 
by its author, and was printed in due form in Tha 
Register. Miss Shillito's shorter poems most 
noted are "The Star Land," "Carpe Diem," "Ad 
Torquatum," the last two being metrical transla- 
tions of the odes of Horace. 

Hugh G. Barclay: contributor of verses to 
magazines, newspapers, the product of his leisure 
when not engaged in his business as a railroad 
man. All his lines are imbued with a profoundly 
religious and patriotic spirit, and much praise is 
given both the sentiment and the versification. 

Garrard Harris: "Joe, the Book Farmer," New 
York, 1913. A wholly original presentation of th« 
work of intensive farming in the South, and prac- 
tical results. 

Mrs. Lura Harris Craighead: "Lessons in Par- 
liamentary Law," prepared in order to assist 
women in performing creditably and correctly 
such public offices as may fall to them in the 
present day of enlarged women-activity in public 
affairs, Mobile, 1914. 

Emma Langdon Roche: "Historic Sketches of 
the South," New York, 1914; showing a thorough 
study, and the presentation for the first time of 
the history of the "Clotilde" voyage, the last im- 
portation of slaves into the United States, and 
what became of the slaves, their personality and 
characteristics, with pictures of their leading 
men and women from sketches made by the 
author. 



Other Writers. 

Of law writers, there were Judge Harry Toul- 
min, the grandfather of the present judge of that 
name, who compiled the "Laws of Alabama," in 
18 23; Alexander McKinstry, 1859; Francis P.. 
Clark, Jr., in 1878; and Edward W. Faith, address, 
upon "A Simple Title," Mobile, 1911. 

Writers of sermons, published separately or in 
book form: The Revs. Wiliam T. Hamilton, 1833; 
Elisha Cowles, 1835; Henry B. Bascombe, 1850; 



15 

Nahaniel P. Knapp, 1855; Philip Phillips Neely, 
1881; W. J. E. Cox, 1907; and H. W. Fancher, 
1911. 

Medical Writers: Dr. P. H. Lewis, who was 
awarded a medal in 18 47 by the Alabama Medica.l 
Society for his essay upon the "Medical History 
of Alabama;" Dr. R. Lee Fearn, "Essay upon the 
Diseases of Mobile," 1850. 

Writers who at some time lived in Mobile: 
The Rev. John N. Maffit, revivalist, who died her© 
in 18 5 0, wrote the "Nautilus." The Rev. William 
Henry Milburn, the blind Chaplain of Congress: 
"Ten Years of a Preacher's Life," 18 59; "Pioneer 
Preachers and People of the Mississippi Valley," 
1860. Theodore O'Hara, at on© time associate 
editor of The Register: "The Bivouac of the 
Dead," 185 5; "A Dirge for the Brave Old Pioneer,'' 
18 60. Paul A. Towne, principal of Barton 
Academy: An Algebra, Louisville, 1865. The Rev. 
Niles Pierce, rector of St, John's, and afterwards 
bishop of Arkansas: "Henry VIII, and his Court;" 
translated from Muhlbach, 1865; "The Agnostic 
and other Poems," New York, 1884. Kate Cum- 
ming: "Journal of Hospital Life in the Army of 
the Tennessee," 18 6 6. John T. Wiswall, whose 
boyhood was spent in Mobile, published "The 
Last Crusader," a poem, London, 1867. His mis- 
cellany contains a poem upon Mobile revisited. 
William d'Alton Mann: "The Raider," 1868. Noah 
M. Ludlow: "Dramatic Life as I Found It," St. 
Louis, 1888. Naaman R. Baker: "Constancy," 
and other Poems," Mt. Morris, 111.. 18 8 4. The Rev, 
Henry Berkowitz: "Judaism on the Social Ques- 
tion," New York, 1888. Mrs. Lizzie York Case: 
Essays and poems the most notable being verses 
entitled: "There is no Unbelief," 1885. Amelie 
Rives Troubetzkoy: 'The Quick and the Dead," 
1888; and other fiction. John Wilford Overall: 
"Catecliism of the Constitution of the United 
States," 1896. Nina Picton. Gabriel Boudous- 
quie: "Poet^ a Tragedy in Three Acts," New York. 
1899. Prentiss Ingraliam: Stories, poems, serials 
for newspapers and magazines, 1869 to 1905. 

— ERWIN CRAIGHEAD. 

President of the Iberville Historical Society. 

Mobile, Ala., September, 1914. 



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